he drove the rebel army. To this passion Warren succumbed as well as the enemy; and it may be that the double downfall was necessary. At all events, so Sheridan thought and felt. He was aware that critical and instant movements might be precipitated. Lee might even yet turn on him with the bulk of what remained of the rebel army; he was himself isolated still from Grant. He must have a man who shared his spirit and would carry out his orders, and Warren, whatever his merits, was not this man. Yet there need be no suspicion of Warren's patriotism or gallantry. He was as desirous of success as Sheridan himself; he lost a horse under him in this battle, and doubtless was thunderstruck when the order came for him to be relieved. His accomplishments no one denied; his abilities under certain contingencies would have been all sufficient. He simply did not possess that daring impetuosity, that splendid enthusiasm, that prompt, impatient, irresistible spirit which in other emergencies is indispensable. He was not a soldier to wring victory out of defeat, to seize upon an instant, to move without regard to flanks or reserves or even the enemy, to forget everything but the order to advance. Grant had found this out before, and supported Sheridan fully on this occasion. The general-in-chief had three aides-de-camp with Sheridan this day, sending them in succession to communicate his views. Colonel Porter was instructed first to say that the movements of the main army would very much depend upon the result of Sheridan's operations; that Grant would have preferred to send him the Sixth corps, but it was at too great distance to reach him in time, and the Fifth corps, being the nearest, had been dispatched instead. A little before noon Colonel Babcock arrived, with a verbal message from Grant to the effect that Sheridan was to have complete control of his own movement, that the responsibility would rest entirely with him; and that, if in his judgment, Warren should not prove equal to the task assigned him, Sheridan must not hesitate to relieve him and put another in command of the Fifth corps. ence. This message was the result of the experience of a year. Grant believed that disappointments and partial rebuffs had occurred again and again on both sides of the James, originating in Warren's peculiarities. In this view he had been confirmed by sev eral of the events of the present campaign; and he was not willing to risk a repetition of the experiThe feelings of no man must be allowed to stand in the way of the interests of the country and the cause. Still, he was loath to mortify an able and loyal subordinate, who, doubtless, did his best, although his best was not enough. He hesitated some hours before sending this permission, which was, indeed, almost an invitation, to Sheridan. But when, on the morning of the 1st of April, he was fully aware of the inefficiency displayed in moving -disarranging all his plans, and disappointing all his expectations, and risking the success of the entire army-he gave the word. It was Warren's misfortune not to succeed in inspiring his superiors with confidence in the hearti ness of his support. He forgot that it was his duty to please them, not theirs to please him. He constantly criticised and changed, or sought to change, his orders; and, like most critical natures, his was deficient in the force indispensable in the greatest exigencies. Brave enough personally, he utterly lacked audacity as a commander, and had no conception of rapidity in handling or moving troops. But audacity and rapidity are as essential to success in war as skill or vigilance. This battle was one of those tremendous occasions when both were required; when ordinary action is not enough; and Warren, devoting himself to details, placing himself at the less important positions on the field, unable to hold his troops in hand, or to perceive the necessity of intense, concentrated, instant action, failed at the moment when the genius of his commander became supreme. The success of the one is the explanation of the failure of the other. CHAPTER XXXIII. News of the battle of Five Forks-Grant orders assaults on Petersburg -Spirit of commanders-Lethargy of Lee-Wright carries rebel lineParke carries outer line-Ord and Humphreys penetrate line in their front - Grant enters enemy's works-Enthusiasm of troops-Grant faces Meade's command eastward and envelops Petersburg-Rebel army falling back in great confusion-Fighting in front of Parke-Longstreet brought from north side of James-Capture of Fort Gregg-Sheridan's movements on left-Miles's battle at Sutherland station-Final success of MilesSheridan pursues the enemy to the Appomattox-Correspondence with Sherman-Grant's dispositions on night of April 2nd-Lee orders all troops to Amelia court-house-Object of Lee-Evacuation of Petersburg-Entrance of national troops-Orders of Grant to intercept Lee-Grant's entry into Petersburg-Interview with Lincoln-Departure of Grant for Appomattox valley-Fall of Richmond-Conduct of Davis and LeeMisery of inhabitants-Withdrawal of garrison-Firing of city-Night of April 2nd-Entrance of Weitzel-Richmond saved by national soldiers. On the night of the battle of Five Forks Grant was still at Dabney's saw-mill, expecting intelligence from Sheridan. Before him stretched in the darkness the forces of Ord and Meade, in front of the works which had withstood them so long. As far as the national lines extended, they still found themselves facing an enemy, and even when Grant had detached a portion of his command, Lee also divided his army. But this last act of the rebel chief had precipitated, and in reality assisted, the development of Grant's plans, and the national leader now only waited for news from the left, in order to attack the weakened front of his adversary. During the after noon orders were issued to Humphreys, Wright, and Parke to assault at four A.M., and Ord also was held in readiness. The greatest issues hung upon the scales. At 7.45 P. M., the general-in-chief sent word to the President: "Sheridan with his cavalry and the Fifth corps has evidently had a big fight this evening. The distance he is off is so great, however, that I shall not probably be able to report the result for an hour or two." The rain was now over, and Grant sat outside of his tent, wrapped in the blue overcoat of a private soldier which he wore in this campaign. Two or three staff officers were with him, hovering around the camp fire in the wet and gloomy woods. Two had remained all day with Sheridan to bring the earliest reports. Suddenly the cheers of the troops were heard in the distance, as they gathered from an officer while he rode along the character of his news. Every one at head-quarters knew what it must be. Soon the aide-de-camp came up, and, before he dismounted, had told a part of his story. "The rebels didn't run," he said, "on any particular road." Five Forks was won, but the completeness of the success was still not known. Grant at once sent word to Meade: "Humphreys must push now, or everything will leave his front, and be concentrated against Sheridan." The instinct of battle was aroused, and he saw in an instant not only what the enemy should do, but what steps he himself must take in order to circumvent Lee. Before long another officer arrived in great excitement, having ridden hard from the field.* He * The bearer of the good news was Colonel Horace Porter, one of the most abstemious men in the army; but he came up with so much MARY |